Croatia – France 1-3 (Box score)
France defeated Croatia 3-1 in a nail-biter in the evening game on day two at the Baseball European Championship in Brno.
Both teams are now 1-1 in Group C behind the unbeaten Netherlands squad.
France started off strong, scoring twice in the top of the frame through RBI singles by Leo Jiminian and Nolan Soliveres. France led 2-0 until the eighth inning, when Croatia got on the board with a RBI single by Petar Rumora. But the French team added another run in the ninth through a second RBI single by Soliveres in the ninth to secure the win.
Ben Couvreur picked up the win, allowing three hits and six walks in 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Jose Diaz got charged with the loss.
Sweden – Italy 8-3 (Box score)
After 1993, 2003 and 2010 Sweden upset Italy for a fourth time in Baseball European Championship history.
The Scandinavians scored seven runs in a memorable fourth inning en route to their 8-3 win.
Sweden’s current manager Rickard Reimer was a player for Sweden in 2003 and 2010. After three scoreless innings to start off the game, Sweden opened the scoring with a RBI single by Thomas Paulich in the fourth. After a wild pitch and a sac fly put two more runs for Sweden on the board, they loaded the bases and Joel Johnson hit a grand slam to make it 7-0. A balk call gave Sweden an eighth run in the sixth.
Afterwards Italy made a run for a comeback, scoring three runs on a sac fly by Javier D'Orazio in the seventh, a RBI double by Robel Garcia in the eighth and a sac fly by Andrea Sellaroli in the ninth.
Sweden’s hero was veteran hurler Per Sjörs, who conceded just three runs on five hits and two walks in eight-plus innings. Gabriele Quattrini took the loss.
Czechia – Greece 14-0 (Box score)
Czechia picked up their second win in as many games in Group A of the Baseball European Championship in the evening game in Ostrava by cruising past Greece 14-0.
After the Czech team took a quick 2-0 lead in the first three innings, Czechia put nine runs on the board in the fourth to blow things open. Eric Sogard and William Escala hit home runs for the host, as Escala drove in four in total. Sogard scored three times. Martin Muzik collected three RBI. Ondrej Satoria pitched six scoreless two-hit innings for the win.
Germany – Israel 2-0 (Box score)
Germany won a nail-biting evening matchup against Israel to cap off day two by a score of 2-0 in Prague.
Germany improved to 2-0, while Israel dropped to 1-1. It was a pitcher’s duel. Dalton Duke von Schamann conceded just five hits and three walks in six scoreless innings, surviving a bases loaded situation with one of his seven strikeouts in the sixth.
Markus Solbach and Sven Schüller then closed out the shutout.
On offense Eric Brenk broke the scoreless tie on a RBI single by Vincent Ahrens in the fifth. In the seventh back to back doubles by Alexander Schmidt and Brenk doubled the lead.
Israel had its opportunities but wasn’t able to come back. Justin Altintoff got charged with the loss. Ty Kelly reached three times. Zev Moore had two hits for Israel.
Outlook
On Tuesday the first round will be closed out with eight games at the Baseball European Championship 2023. Spain and Czechia will meet in Group A in Ostrava in the evening to determine first place in the group, as both already advanced to the quarterfinals. Austria and Greece square off in the morning hoping for their first win in the tournament.
In Group B in Trebic Sweden opens the day with a matchup against Hungary. In the evening the 2-0 Great Britain squad faces Italy, which is in a must-win situation after Monday’s upset loss.
In Group C in Brno France and Ukraine will play each other in the morning. In the evening the Netherlands battle with Croatia.
In Group D in Prague the Israel meets with Belgium in the morning, while 2-0 Germany faces 1-1 Switzerland in the evening.
All games can be followed by live streaming on www.baseballeurope.tv and live play by play through www.wbsceurope.org.
Photo by Grega Valancic
